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Chapter 87: The Set Up
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The True Nature Series Chapter 88: To Be Decided
WE SLOWLY HEADED BACK along the path to his truck, both of us wanting to prolong our time together. When I asked about the akharu and the bulging tree, he explained that akharu could camouflage their bodies by emitting a type of oil that caused people to hallucinate. Their musk tricked your mind, making you imagine things."Like they turn into Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie on you?" I asked, twisting my face into disgust.Zander laughed. "Yes, they can make you see them as someone different.""That's some seriously trippy oil. Sounds like magic.""What we don't understand, we call magic." He shook his head with a smile. "We've studied it enough to learn how it works. Nature always has a reason for what it does. For akharu, it's a lure to draw people into a trap. But you have to be close enough to be affected.""The problem is, you don't know you're too close until it happens." We had walked right into their trap."Exactly why they are so dangerous," agreed Zander. "Plus, they have a
The True Nature Series Chapter 89: Brink of Extinction
ZANDER'S EYEBROWS SHOT UP, as if he'd finally realized he had stepped into a minefield. "No! Of course, I don't. I think they're ... great.""But you were taught that idimmu are mutants."He looked down at the ground, kicking a rock across the trail. "My teachers said that sometimes nature screws up and creates things that become detrimental to the rest of us. Sethians, the Nasaru, are just weeding out these mistakes so the rest of us can thrive.""Weeding out?"Zander sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Okay. Listen. Crossbreeding across species creates weaknesses. For instance, in the animal world the environment eradicates undesirable mutations, right? That's nature taking its course. But unfortunately, nature isn't doing what it's supposed to and the weak anomalies are propagating, which puts everyone, human and supernatural, in danger. But why let that happen if we can stop it? That's where the Nasaru comes in.""How?" My stomach felt sick. "How is the Nasaru doing this?"He hesi
The True Nature Series Chapter 90: Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire
"I SUSPECT THAT YOUR aunt was a highly coveted research subject," said Zander. "And I don't think she's on the Most Wanted List because she's a criminal.""Then the Nasaru made everyone believe she was a criminal so that they could lock her up and do whatever they wanted to her.""I'm sorry, Tru. It was wrong." His face drooped with regret. At least he knew right from wrong, despite his father and his upbringing. "You didn't know. But she must have been so miserable," I said. "I'm not surprised she ran away when she got the chance."Zander seemed lost in thought. Perhaps his imagination was running wild like mine. I thought about how terrifying it must have been for Caroline. In my mind I saw myself being forcibly fastened down on a gurney as heartless doctors drew my blood or worse, screaming as they performed questionable experiments on me. I shivered. "I hope they never find me," I whispered. For a split second I reconsidered running away with Zander."Tru, I won't-- No, I c
The True Nature Series Chapter 91: Breaking News
THE NEXT EVENING, MY dad's strangled voice yelling up the stairs tore through my homework bubble and I bolted out of my chair, almost knocking it over. I hustled downstairs expecting the house to be on fire.When I skidded around the corner of the family room, Dad was perched on the edge of his leather recliner with the tv remote in his hand. It was almost his football game pose, but the lines on his face were deeper and more solemn grooves than I was used to seeing. He looked like he'd received the worst news ever. I moved closer to the tv screen, to see what had caused this transformation."-- teacher found behind a dumpster early this morning," reported a newswoman. "Her wounds indicate an animal attack ..."I tuned out some of the reporter's words as the victim's picture appeared on the screen. It was Mrs. Jackson, the strange substitute I'd been so afraid of. Pieces of the story infiltrated my paralyzing shock. She was dead, her throat torn out. Family had already been notified
The True Nature Series Chapter 92: Good Vibrations
ONCE THE FOOD WAS gathered up and pooled in the center of the bed, we surrounded our stash like children with Halloween candy."Ready for Hurricane Ruthie?" I smiled."Good name for her," he said. "Should be interesting to see what Conrad thinks. He's a bit unconventional himself.""Awesome!" I pulled out my phone. "I predict he and Ruthie will hit it off. Based, of course, on the phone call I overheard - you know, in my true dream that night I saw you talking to Conrad.""True dream. Good name for it." Zander dialed his friend first."Hey, Zan my man!" A friendly voice spilled out of Zander's phone. "How are those California vibrations?" He started singing Good Vibrations. It reminded me of the delicious pulse that Zander and I felt when we touched. Oh my gosh! He must have told his friend. My face heated up."Conrad!" Zander hurried to cut off the singing, which only dimmed a little. He held his phone up to his mouth and cleared his throat. "I want to introduce you to someone
The True Nature Series Chapter 93: Fact or Fiction
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING about?" I asked."Tru," Ruthie said, her voice tinged with excitement. "You couldn't have aced your tests like you did most of last year in zombie mode, unless you have a super sensor. When I asked you how you did it, you said you picked the answers that felt right. I used to think you had some kind of ESP going on but you never seemed to hear me when I tried to speak to you with my mind."I didn't know what to be more shocked about, the fact that Ruthie believed I had some psychic power or that she tried to speak telepathically with me. "So," said Conrad with awe in his voice. "Are you saying Tru is some kind of lie detector?"I shook my head in denial but Ruthie kept going. "I think so. Maybe we can do a little supernatural true or false."Zander raised his eyebrows and tilted up one side of his mouth as if to say, "we might as well try.""I don't know, guys," I hesitated. "I don't think I can say for sure if something is true just like that." "Yes, you
The True Nature Series Chapter 94: Cursed
"WAIT, GUYS. WHAT DOES 'cursed' even mean?" asked Ruthie. "Maybe it isn't so bad."Zander looked at me. I was starting to feel anxious. My sethian acquaintances included Conrad, Zander and his brother - and the Collector in a roundabout way. I had a pretty good idea who in that group might belong to the cursed category."I don't know," I said. "Maybe.""Well, if we get to vote, I vote that Zander's jerk face brother is cursed," said Ruthie. Zander scowled but didn't comment."I-I think we need more information," I said. "Before we get too upset about this cursed stuff."The silence coming from Conrad spoke volumes. His head must have been spinning. I wondered if now was the right time to tell Zander about his father, about him being the Collector, Dante's boss. "You're right," said Zander. "I say we let Conrad try and dig up something to support these ideas before deciding what to do with them." His face was pinched, like he was thinking too hard. I decided I couldn't accuse h
The True Nature Series Chapter 95: Red-handed
MONDAY MORNING, I KNEW something was wrong as soon as I walked into the kitchen. Dad stood in the middle of the room, his hands on his hips and scowling. What now? My stomach clenched. Had he somehow found out about Zander being in my bedroom last night?"What's wrong?" I asked.He pressed his lips together, staring at me like he'd never seen me before. Then with a grunt of disappointment, he ran his hands through his hair and pointed to the kitchen table. "Sit."With robotic movements, I settled into the nearest chair, burying my nervous hands under my bottom.Dad lowered himself into the chair across from me."Tru, I received a surprising phone call this morning. Can you guess who it might have been from?"With a loud swallow, I said, "No." Who tipped him off? Did a neighbor see Zander leave?Dad shook his head. "Tru, I think I've been too lenient with you since your mother ..." He broke off, unable to finish his sentence. "But not anymore," he rallied. Oh no! Would he keep
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